Bhubaneswar, July 16: Police today arrested a homoeopathy practitioner for shooting at a man for urinating near his clinic at the busy Indradhanu Market within Nayapalli police limits.

The victim, Maheswar Routray, 45, is an employee of Central Electricity Supply Undertaking. He suffered a bullet injury below his left knee and was admitted to Capital Hospital before being referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

The cops have seized a licensed pistol from the accused, 35-year-old Biswa Bhusan Pradhan.

Routray said: "I was urinating near a garbage dump close to his clinic. Pradhan objected and an argument ensued. He flew into a rage, got his pistol from the clinic and fired at me." Routray had accompanied a relative of his colleague to the clinic.

Deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi said: "The accused possessed a valid licence for the pistol. We are probing into the matter and trying to cancel his gun licence."

The police said Pradhan lost his cool when the victim got into an argument with the homoeopath.

"The homoeopath told us that the victim slapped him during the argument. However, we will question witnesses to verify his claim," said a police officer. The cops have also obtained CCTV footage of a toilet complex in front of the clinic and are examining it.

"We heard a gunshot around 11.30am and saw a man lying on the ground. Pradhan behaved quite normally after the incident and was in his clinic till the police arrived," said a witness.

Shopowners in the market said Pradhan had never displayed any aggressive streak in the past.